Birthday "Gather"ing...

Pisco Sour

For family birthdays, we always pick a special restaurant to celebrate. For my son's birthday this year, we chose a very special place in Berkeley, called Gather. Special because the team at Gather cares deeply about the food it serves and we share many of the same values...

Respect. For farmers, for food, for the earth, and for our bodies. We truly recognize that we don’t live in a vacuum. There is no such thing as an individual. We are all connected.

Honesty. This one's easy. If you can't do/say it truthfully, then don't do/say it at all. Simple (my words, not Gather's).

Transparency. Got a question about where something came from or why it’s in a dish? Ask the host for a copy of “The Source Book”— an index that traces the lifecycle of every ingredient served at Gather. From spices and oils to animals and vegetables, we’ve researched how it got to us and where it went along the way. Same goes for the materials used in our restaurant. Every ingredient, material, and action we put forth has been thoughtfully considered.

Comfort. Comfort comes in many forms. It’s about feeling at ease, soothed, well-fed, respected, welcomed, taken care of, included, satiated, and at peace. We want you to feel all of these things when you dine at Gather. (Actually, we want you to feel all of these things always.) It’s one of the many reasons we’ve designed our menu to give the members of the community what they want and need in any given moment.

Always Possible. When we hear people use the words “whenever possible” which are used quite often in regard to organic, seasonal and/or sustainable food, we have a slightly different take on things. Truth is – it’s always possible. If an ingredient can’t be found, we use something else. It’s that simple.

Then there is the decor... Gather is intent on striking an aesthetic balance in every possible way.

Our space combines reclaimed woods rich with history, metal, concrete, and other sustainable, long lasting materials. We created cushions from re-used leather belts, and wooden cabinetry to assure a beautiful and comfortable “home” environment. Natural color is found throughout the space in deep green, Heath ceramic tiles behind the open kitchen, in lighting elements, art accents and living plants. Practically every material used in our interior comes with a unique story. The bar is made from a Douglas Fir that grew and fell in Camp Meeker in Sebastopol. Because the trees grow really fast in wet forests like these the rings are huge and highly distinctive. (Read more)

Some of us, obviously, celebrated with Pisco Sours. Little did we kow about the origin of this drink, which is quite a befitting cocktail to consume in Berkeley. Apparently, in the early 20th century the Morris' Bar of Lima, Peru created and popularized the drink as a variety of the Whiskey Sour. The bar's owner, Victor Vaughn Morris, was a bartender born in Berkeley, California.

Boxed In

What a FUN and clever window display! I love its play, humor and sophistication. Makes you wonder who/what else is in those boxes. You'll never guess where I took this photo... Kansas City at the Country Club Plaza.

The Plaza (see wikipedia also) is one of my favorite places in the world...and I've traveled a fair amount. I grew up in KC, went to school at the University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC), with its campus just a couple of blocks from the Plaza.

I've got fond memories of the area, including Brush Creek, Westport, Crown Center (home of Hallmark Cards) and, my favorite, Gates BBQ. So whenever I'm home, I take a trip down memory lane. Seeing how splendid the Plaza is today makes me wonder why I ever left. But at age 22, after living here all my life and quite curious about what else the world has to offer, life in the Midwest made me feel rather boxed in...I was dying to get out, to spread my wings and grow.

In a way, that's what I see in this image...a burgeoning flair and sophistication trying to unleash itself (get out of its box), to become whole and greet the world headon.

So, after graduating from college, I packed up my car ('64 1/2 Ford Mustang) and headed west. First to Phoenix (for a couple of years) and then, finally, to make my new home in San Francisco. They say you can take the girl out of the country, but you can never take the country out of the girl...mostly true, in my case. But looking back, I see how much growing up I did after leaving home, and with every trip back I realize it's not just me...Kansas City, too, has done a lot of growing up. Don't just take my word for it, check out this video.